Jesse Schenker's book

Chef & restauranteur, author,Husband, Father, & Music Lover

Jesse Schenker has amassed an impressive culinary history. He owned and operated recette and The Gander in New York City before relocating to Oyster Bay, NY to open 2 spring, a Modern American Brasserie. His contemporary approach to creating American classics is a reflection of his devotion to highly-refined techniques combined with his passion for creating delicious food.

Growing up in South Florida, Schenker experienced epicurean pleasures that quickly set him on the path toward becoming a chef. He began requesting menus from his parents’ dinners and invested in a cookbook collection that has since grown to 350 volumes. His intensity for the culinary world found an early start and has only increased since.

Schenker channeled his excitement for food into a Culinary Degree at the Atlantic Technical Center in Coconut Creek, Florida. While in school, he was introduced to his first professional kitchen experience at Café Maxx under the tutelage of Chef Oliver Saucy. He moved on to hold positions in the kitchens of some of Florida’s most celebrated restaurants like Chef Mark Militello’s James Beard award-winning restaurant Mark’s on Las Olas and City Cellar Wine Bar and Grille in Miami. In 2007, he moved New York City to refine his skills in world’s finest restaurants. He accepted a position as Chef de Partie at the two-Michelin star rated Gordon Ramsay at the London where he worked for 2 years.

In 2009, Schenker decided to launch his own venture with a concept that took fine dining out of the restaurant, recette Private Dining. He enlisted the talents of Savoy Bakery owner Brian Ghaw and Per Se pastry alum Christina Lee, and together the trio created 5-, 7- and 10-course tasting menus for exclusive private parties. At recette Private Dining, Schenker’s high-end restaurant experience did not go unseen with the opportunity to stagiaire at two of New York City’s most prestigious dining destinations, Per Se and Jean Georges before deciding to open his own restaurant.

Schenker ultimately made his mark on the culinary scene with recette, the intimate, urban American restaurant which opened in New York’s West Village in January of 2010. Just months after its opening, recette received glowing two-star reviews from both the New York Times and New York magazine. Sam Sifton called recette one of his favorite newcomers of 2010, particularly noting Schenker’s Salt Cod Fritters as “one of the 15 best things” he ate in NYC in 2010.

In April 2014, Schenker opened The Gander in the Flatiron District where he served a menu of sophisticated, yet casual, American dishes complimented by a deep international wine list.

In addition to being twice-nominated James Beard award semifinalist, over the years Schenker has received a number of awards and accolades, including a spot on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list in the food and wine industry in December 2011 and inclusion in Details magazine’s “America’s Best Young Chefs” list in August 2011. Schenker was also victorious in his battle on Food Network’s Iron Chef America in 2010.

In September 2014, Schenker wrote his first book, All or Nothing: One Chef’s Appetite for the Extreme(Harper Collins, September 30, 2014, $25.99). In his memoir, Schenker reflects on his insatiable appetite for the extreme, which has led to his biggest triumphs and failures.

Most recently, Schenker is opening 2 spring restaurant in Oyster Bay, New York. 2 spring combines coastal American cuisine with modern sensibilities, highlighting fresh seafood & premium farm meats. The menu is complemented by an inspired raw bar, small bites, and seasonal produce sourced from Long Island’s North Fork. At 2 spring, Chef Jesse Schenker transforms familiar favorites and elevates them to a new level. The result is refined everyday elegance.